Strongbow
by Laurelin M. Estel
Summary: THis is an AU Silmarillion/LotR crossover...on hold. Major writers block. Sry
1. Chapter 1

Strongbow

Chapter 1, The favor of the Lady

Legolas cursed fluently as the giant spiders surrounded him, there were at least ten, and he was running low on arrows, he fitted another to the string, shooting the closest in the eye. Then, he felt an excruciating pain in is back, he felt the spider's poison paralyze his body, and he lost consciousness as the spider began to wrap him in its silk. He thought he saw a silver blur taking out the other spiders, but as his vision faded, he knew he was going to die.

Legolas felt like he was trying to swim in a fast moving current, then he slowly regained his senses and a dull, throbbing pain filled his body. He moaned and light, musical laughter reached his ears. "Good morning tithen pen, you woke just in time for some broth!" a soft, tenor voice told him. Legolas groaned again, and blinked at the bright light before his eyes settled on a green eyed ellon. His hair was like molten mithril, flowing in a straight silver waterfall to the middle of the ellon's back, restrained only by two warrior braids, in a style Legolas did not recognize. The ellon wore all grey and his cloak was fastened by a brooch in the likeness of a silver leaf. The ellon's face was beautiful and pale, a warm smile gracing his lips. "Who are you?" Legolas croaked. "I am Cuthalion of nowhere, it is a pleasure to meet one who has found favor with the Lady, Prince Legolas." he proclaimed in his soft voice. "Would you like water?" Legolas nodded, licking his parched lips. "You are very fortunate that I heard your cursing, else wise you would be very dead." Cuthalion commented as he helped the prince to sit up. "For that I thank you, and also for your healing." Legolas croaked. The silver haired elf simply smiled as he uncorked his water skin and Legolas drank his fill before being laid gently back down. "Where are you from Cuthalion?" asked Legolas, he knew only two other elves with silver hair, his father and Celeborn. Cuthalion's eyes darkened and he was silent for a few moments. "Where I come from is no concern of yours tithen pen. Ask me naught about myself, and I am your friend, ask, and you will find me a most unpleasant enemy." he growled, his fair voice deadly. Legolas was rather taken aback, but he was silent. "I am not that young!" Silver laughter filled the air, "To me you are no more than a child." was the mirthful answer. Cuthalion rose and Legolas saw he carried a longbow of black yew, girthed at his waist was a sword in a non-descript sheath, but the handle showed extremely good craft, ancient craft. Legolas looked around him and saw that he was in a small cabin of sorts, save that it was perched high in one of Mirkwood's trees. The nimble ellon was climbing up a ladder in the middle of the cabin. "My rooms are up the ladder, if you should have need of me simply call." Cuthalion said cheerfully. He disappeared. Legolas drifted back into the realm of Lorien. Legolas awoke but did not move nor open his eyes, for a sound reached his ears and he was unsure as to what it was. Then it came again, a whimpering, wet, sad, sound, like someone in pain. He opened one eye a crack. Cuthalion's face was tearstained, he was sobbing, but what disturbed Legolas even more was the long knife that was clutched in a white knuckled hand. There was blood upon the blade, and Cuthalion's wrist was bleeding freely. Legolas shut his eyes and tried to fall back to sleep, but Cuthalion's beautiful, tearstained face flashed behind his eyelids.

A/N: Who is a Silmarillion character who A. has silver hair. B. is an archer with a yew bow. And C. Knows Galadriel?


	2. Chapter 2

Strongbow

Chapter 2, Forget

When Legolas finally awoke, Cuthalion was grinning down at him. "Quel re.(good day)" he chirped, as if less than an hour ago he had not been cutting himself. Legolas smiled tiredly back. Cuthalion helped Legolas to sit up and held a bowl of broth to his lips. Legolas drank the rich broth and then realized his mistake. He began to get sleepy, and soon, he was drifting in oblivion once more.

Legolas healed over the next week, but he also carefully watched the silver ellon. He noticed that his cheerfulness was fake, and that he cut himself almost every day.

That day Legolas got out of bed for the first time. Cuthalion smiled brightly when he came up the ladder. "Finally out of bed my prince?"

Legolas smiled, "Indeed." Legolas looked around him and saw that the wood of the walls were meticulously painted in scenes of a woodland kingdom. "These are very good!" exclaimed Legolas.

Cuthalion blushed lightly and reached to pull a curtain across the walls, but Legolas caught his wrist. Legolas regretted his actions when Cuthalion winced in pain and Legolas saw and felt something wet and red soak through the cloth. "Why do you do that to yourself?" Legolas asked quietly. Cuthalion wrenched his arm out of Legolas's grip and glared coldly at the prince. The cuts were bleeding heavily. With a snarl the ellon turned on his heels and jumped down the ladders.

Cuthalion did not return that night, nor the next morning. Legolas was afraid that Cuthalion had gone and killed himself. And if he had, it would be all his fault. But his fear was in vain, for Cuthalion appeared with some small game for supper. He said nothing to Legolas and simply began to cook. Legolas attempted to put a hand on his shoulder but Cuthalion moved away. "Have you mortal friends Prince Legolas?"

"Yes."

"Do you love him more than your own life?"

"It is because of my love, rather than my wisdom that I have not yet sailed." Legolas replied, thinking of his friend Aragorn.

"I once had such a friend. I would have died a mortal's death to save him from it. But it was not to be so. He, in his confusion, wounded me mortally, and thought me dead. My poor mellon. He killed himself, after many foul deeds that could have been prevented if only I had had the courage to tell him I lived. He died thinking he had killed me, and caused the death of many others. And it is my fault. Truest of friends they called me, but it was not so." he told Legolas coldly.

"What was his name?" asked Legolas quietly.

"He had many names and many have I. Now that you are well you must depart, for your father is no doubt worried sick about you." Cuthalion replied, avoiding the question.

"You must come with me! You deserve great reward for your services." he protested.

Cuthalion shook his silver head. "Nay. No dealings do I have with woodland kings any longer. Forget about me Prince. That is the greatest reward that I would ask for."

Legolas sadly consented, gathering what things he could. "Namarie good prince. May you never walk upon the path I have trodden." was Cuthalion's goodbye.

A/N: Like, don't like? R&R


	3. Chapter 3

Strongbow

Chapter 3, The Truth Revealed

Legolas arrived in Mirkwood's halls a week later. His father was overjoyed to see him, as predicted. Try as he might, Legolas could not forget the beautiful face and gentle hands, that had healed and helped him.

"What troubles you ion nin?" asked Thranduil as he watched Legolas pace.

"There was an ellon who helped me. He was silver haired and green eyed. Cuthalion, he named himself. He asked me to forget about him, but I can not. He was so sad all the time Ada. And he cut himself. He told me such sad things about his life Ada. And when I asked him to come here with me he said he had dealings with woodland kings no longer."

"What sad things did he tell you?" asked Thranduil, now he himself troubled.

"He told me he once had a mortal friend that he loved more than his own life. One day, in confusion, this friend wounded Cuthalion badly, and the friend thought him dead. The friend later killed himself after doing many bad deeds that could have been prevented if Cuthalion had only shown himself. He said that they called him truest of friends, but it was not so. On his walls were beautiful paintings of a woodland Adar. Can you read this puzzle?"

"Alas I think I can. Good Valar." said the king as he sat down heavily. "Beleg Cuthalion yet lives. This is news indeed." he murmured.

"Who?" asked Legolas curiously.

"Beleg Cuthalion. The greatest archer in history. Called truest of friends to Turin Turambar, by whom he was supposedly slain. He was a Marchwarden of Doriath, where I grew up. Did he carry a black yew bow?"

"Yes. He is harming himself Ada. He cuts his wrists." Legolas said solemnly.

"I can do nothing about that ion nin. And since he told you naught, then he does not wish to be recognized. We will leave him be…for now."

A/N: sorry I made Beleg emo. Fyi, I love Beleg. That's why I brought him back. R&R


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